Huge response to Council’s National Recycling Week bin swap offer

In the space of just one week, more than 1,100 Redlands Coast households have signed up for a larger recycling bin in response to Redland City Council’s National Recycling Week free bin swap offer which ended on 18 November.

Mayor Karen Williams said the response exceeded expectations and residents obviously saw it as a great deal.

“In this limited-time offer, residents were invited to upgrade their regular size (240 litre) recycling bin to a large (340 litre) recycling bin with no upfront establishment fee,” Cr Williams said.

“The response from the community was overwhelming and means as a city we now have the potential to collect an extra 110,000 litres of recycling.

“It’s all part of our push to see more recyclable items diverted from landfill to material recovery facilities.

“Recent Council waste audits show that – by weight – an average of 15.7% of what goes into household waste bins is actually recyclable and belongs in our yellow-top bins.

“Paper and cardboard tops the naughty list, accounting for 9.3% of what goes into our general waste wheelie bins.

“A further 6.4% consists of recyclable plastic bottles and containers, aluminum and steel cans and glass bottles and jars.

“Having a bigger yellow-top recycling bin is especially helpful during the festive season, when bin space is at a premium and ‘overflow’ recyclables can end up in the general waste bin.”

Cr Williams said due to the huge response, it would take a little longer than first expected to deliver all the bigger bins.

“We are aiming to have them all swapped over by 30 December ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations,” she said.

“We’re asking residents who have ordered their bigger bins to be patient.

“All bin exchanges will take place on their normal fortnightly recycling bin collection day.

“Bin swaps could take place until 4pm on your bin day so leave your yellow-top bin out until the end of the day.

“If your bigger bin doesn’t arrive on that collection day, continue to place your recycling bin out on your subsequent fortnightly recycling collection day until it does.

“Thanks once again for your recycling efforts.

“If you’re unsure what waste items should go where, visit Council’s website at redland.qld.gov.au/waste.”